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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50418	A sermon preached at the consecration of the Right Reverend Father in God, Herbert, Lord Bishop of Hereford by Jasper Mayne ...	Mayne, Jasper, 1604-1672.; Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691.	1662 (1662)	Wing M1478; ESTC R19642	22,579	52

2. Canon of the Nicene Council the 18. Canon of the Council of Ancyra the 101. Canon of the Council called in Africk do speak as if those Fathers did either make those Canons or did inspire the pen of the Scribe or Register who wrote them And truly if I may joyn Historians to those Councils and those Fathers Eusebius in his 6. Book and 8. Chapter Socrates in his 7. Book and 41. Chapter do make the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last word in this Text bear the same sense and meaning with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not a Presbytery of Elders but the very Office of an Elder ordained and made a Bishop Indeed this Text in Greek if we transpose the words a little doth seem to favor this Opinion and may be made to run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Neglect not the gift of Eldership which is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of Hands Where it would not be hard to prove to you by the best primitive Records That the word Eldership where ere 't is used in the Writings of the New Testament signifies the dignity and office of a Bishop Nay if you will hear me quote a more authentick Author then all these not for his integrity for he was no friend to Bishops nor yet for his parts for St. Jerome sure had greater but for his authority which ought not to be question'd when the Enemy of a cause bears witness to the Truth Mr. Calvin himself was of this Opinion who in the 4. Book of his Institutions and the 3. Chapter hath translated this Greek Text into this modern Latine Fac ut gratia quam per manuum impositionem accepisti cum te Presbyterum crearem non sit irrita Take heed the grace or favour which was bestowed upon thee by the laying on of Hands when I made thee a Presbyter were not given thee in vain Where though he do mistake the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a grace or favour as the other doth a gift yet he did not erre when he made both words agree in this that in this place they signifie an Office given by the Church But what need I quote Authorities either ancient or more modern when I have a clear demonstration of Gods Spirit that by the gift here in this place is meant an Office given For doth not St. Paul remove all Clouds and lend a Sun-beam to this Text in the 4. Chapter of the Ephesians from the 8. to the 12. Verse Doth he not there strike one of the chief strings in Davids harp and say That Christ ascended up on high that he led captivity captive and that he gave gifts to men And what were those gifts The 11. Verse resolves you they were the several Offices and Orders in his Church He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers as you may read in that place And all this for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the building of his Church as the End is exprest in the 12. Verse of that Chapter Onely by the way I cannot but observe That in the bestowing of those gifts those Church Offices and Functions as none were to partake them without commission from the Church so lest the Church should erre in the admission of the persons they still brought their Letters Testimonial from Gods Spirit He first by some Prophet designed and named them to their Office before the Church drew up their Patent by the Imposition of their Hands Which is the Conge D'Eslire or third part of this Text namely the Prophecies which markt out this Bishop for his See What Prophet 't was or whether one or many by whom the holy Ghost design'd this Bishop to his Office is wrapt up in a Cloud which affords no light to see by But sure 't was none of the old Prophets who though they were called Seers yet this person stood too distant to fall within their view And because the name of the new Prophet is not set down in particular the most we can do is to seek for him by conjecture In the 21. Chapter of the Acts at the 8 9. Verses 't is said that St. Paul in his Travels with this Disciple in his Train came to Caesarea where dwelt Philip the Evangelist Into whose house they entered and abode there many dayes And that Philip had four daughters Virgins which did prophesie Again 't is said at the 10 11. Verses of that Chapter that Whilest they staid there a certain Prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea who prophesied against Pauls going to Jerusalem Now the circumstances of Persons Time and Place thus laid together have made it probable to some that some one of these She-prophetesses conversing daily with him or that Agabus who forewarned St. Paul of his imprisonment and bonds were opportunely moved by Gods Spirit in that place to nominate this Timothy to his Bishoprick and Charge of which St. Paul no longer could be an Over-seer And great reason there was why the Prophets should have a hand in all such sacred Nominations who standing next to the Apostles in the Bill and Catalogue of Honour for there were first Apostles then Prophets then Evangelists then Pastors As an Evangelist was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fellow-labourer or Assistant to a travelling Apostle in the dispersion of the Gospel so when he was to fix and settle in some one certain place and from an itinerant Preacher or Evangelist was to pass into a Bishop for order sake some Prophet who stood next in rank above him was to recommend him to the Consecration of the Church to point him out his Diocese where he was to reside with the full power of an Apostle fixt and seated to his charge So that the business of those Prophets was partly to foretell the contingent future accidents which were to happen in the Church partly to provide fit Guides and Rulers for it But whoe're the Prophet was for 't is but Curiosity to search the same holy Spirit which did consecrate our Saviour to be the Head of the Church and to publish his own Gospel in the 4. Chapter of St. Luke at the 18. Verse where he sayes and quotes the Prophet Esay for it The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel and the same holy Spirit who commissioned the Apostles to go and plant a Church in all Nations of the World the same holy Spirit I say did direct and guide the Church in the choice of the persons who were to follow and succeed them For here if I may draw waters from the same Fountains and Spring-heads from whence others have poured forth their Discourses on this subject In the first Age of the Church when 't was but yet a tender plant the first businesse of the Apostles was

learnt in time to write such Letters too or as the young Gentleman whose Father was a Gamester learnt to handle Dice and stake whole Mannors at a Throw So good Example hath the like power to infect by being seen and Vertues may like Vices be made hereditary too But besides those seeds of Vertue sown in him by his Parents St. Paul himself had been his Tutor and had the forming of his manners he was bred up in his School to that ripeness and perfection that he superscribes this Epistle to him as to one begotten by him To Timothy my Son sayes he nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Timothy my own Son sayes our English Translation But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek if we may believe St. Jerome is a word to which no other Tongue can find a word to match it a word which in all kinds signifies the Son to have such a near resemblance to the Father as almost to confirm the Opinion of Andreas Dudithius who in his book De Conjugio Presbyterorum maintains that St. Paul was married and had children like St. Peter Of which but that we know his Father was a Greek the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might perswade us that this Timothy was one Indeed the resemblance between them was so great that as in other births and natural generations the marks to distinguish the true-born from the spurious are the likeness of the child in shape and visage to the parent Sic oculos sic ille manus sic or a ferebat If he have his Fathers eyes and cheeks looks hands and gestures too we may conclude him genuine and the Parent twice the same So St. Jerome in his close Interpretation of that word proceeds by a distinction which holds comparatively true St. Paul had many Sons sayes he whom he converted to the Faith as the Corinthians and Ephesians whom he vouchsafes to call his Sons But the style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Filius germanus the style of true-born Son so in all things like himself as not to be more the Son of the Parents that begot him then he was his morum filius the Off-spring of his Mind so furnisht with his vertues so accomplish'd with his gifts so zealous in his preaching so valiant in afflictions so active in his spreading the Gospel through the World was a style bestowed on none but this Timothy and Titus As if all others were his Bastard-sons begot upon some Hagar and onely these two were legitimate It is St. Jerome sayes so In short as likeness in manners begets a dearness in affections and as a friendship in affections begets a likeness in engagements so St. Paul made him his Fellow-labourer and Associate When the Decrees of the Apostles were to be disperst made in their general Council assembled at Jerusalem this Timothy was chosen to assist him in his Travels as you may read in the 16. Chapter of the Acts at the 4. Verse When an Evangelist was to be sent to confirm those distant Churches which St. Paul himself had planted but was not able to re-visit this Timothy was sent as his Deputy-Lieutenant as you may read in several Epistles to those Churches To all this such a holy prudence shined forth in all his actions his Morals were so good and so seasoned with Religion that his Name was like that precious Oyntment in the Scripture still breathing forth perfumes in all places where he came For he was well reported of he was above all reproch and scandal as you may read at the 3. Verse of that Chapter And of such Instruments as this did the Holy Ghost make choice to be Preachers of the Gospel and Rulers in the Church Men whose Life as well as Doctrine was still Sermon to the People men who confuted Vice not more by argument and reason then by their blameless carriage and vertuous conversation 'T was against the Oeconomy and Discipline of Heaven to send men into Gods Vineyard who went drunk into the Field and who minded not the vine but the vintage grape and wine And the Holy Ghost himself had erred had he given his Pearls to Swine to the sensual or intemperate still wallowing in the mire or had he taken his holy things and cast them unto Dogs no sooner eased of one distemper but returning to another No cloven Tongues of fire did sit upon their heads whose tempers were still cloven still kindling Flames and Factions still breaking of Gods people into divisions rents and schisms The gift of Knowledge was not dropt upon the ambitious proud high-minded their Bladder swelled too much and was too much puft up before To him that hath shall be given was the Rule Gods Spirit went by and more gifts were given to him who had well imployed the former Which leads me on to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gift here in this Text and comes in the next place to crave a room in your Attentions The Saying of our Saviour Christ when he spoke it was so true in the 10. Chapter of St. Luke at the 2. Verse The Harvest truly is great but the Labourers are few that to increase their number and to fit them for the work the Holy Ghost was fain to interest himself in the choice of workmen and the qualifying of them too His work and business 't was to send men into the Field and to teach them how to manage and use their Sickle too The Men already chosen if their number had been greater where a World was to be converted were too disproportion'd for the Harvest Besides they wanted parts for so great an undertaking unless they could have done like the man in Eunapius a Greek Historian who tells us of one Aedesius who had so much the Spirit of Divination in his power that he would but clap a Wreath of Lawrel on his head and straight speak by Inspiration straight put himself in Raptures and utter learned Oracles to the great amazement of the Hearers The Apostles were not all bred at the feet of Gamaliel but were as yet unlearned men called from mending Nets fitter to deal with Fishes and to put forth a Boat to Sea then to cast their Nets on Land and there catch men in the Inclosure Besides being Jews they were hardly fit to preach to Jews for where was their gift of Miracles to work upon the Jews who were onely to be gained by Miracles and Wonders Had they preacht to the Gentiles where was their gift of Tongues to preach to all Nations who could speak no Tongues but one Had Christ sent to Athens to stock himself with Preachers he might have found great Scholars there but hard to be perswaded to forsake their own Schools and to list themselves in his Nay these for some Ages were the greatest Enemies of the Faith men who measured Truth by Aristotles Precepts and would believe no more then what some Plato taught Nay men who like Porphyrius called the